The Arkansas basketball team was able to move on in the SEC tournament on Saturday. Arkansas struggled though to defeat Ole Miss, winning by a 93-90 score. Razorbacks head coach John Calipari commented after the game that fans are probably frustrated with him, despite the win.
“Some will get mad at me,” Calipari said postgame per the Chattanooga Times Free Press, “but I think when you're talking about three games in three days, most important thing is taking it off this tournament and making it about our growth as a team. It's about holding our seed or improving our seed.
“You have something to play for that's bigger than that. I think over the years, whether I was at UMass, Memphis or at Kentucky, and now here, it leads them to play better. There's less on their plate.”
Ole Miss was the Cinderella of the SEC tournament this year. Entering the event as a no. 15 seed, Ole Miss posted some impressive wins at the event. The Rebels defeated Alabama, Georgia and Texas to reach the semis.
“The guys didn't quit,” Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said postgame. “That's not coaching-speak. It's just true. You saw how we played. We didn't lose the game today. We ran out of time. Big difference. We're one inch away from being in here preparing for the championship game tomorrow.”
Arkansas moves on to the SEC tournament championship game on Sunday. The Razorbacks will take on a Vanderbilt team that defeated Florida in the other tournament semi-final game.
